Tuck-guide for sewing-machines.



L. ONDERDONK.

TUCK GUIDE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I0. 1908.

1, 176,595. Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

anoenlfoz Q98 Munoz:

'ms coumau PLANOGWH 94, WASHINGTON, n. c.

L. ONDERDONK.

TUCK GUIDE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. [0. 1908.

1,176,595. Patented Mar. 21,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LANSING ONDERDONK, 0F NEVJ YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIALMACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TUCK-GUIIDE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Application filed December 10, 1908.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LANSING ONDERDONK, acitizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the countyof New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tuck- Guides for Sewing-Machines, of which the followingis a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and tothe letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in tucking guidesfor sewing machines, and has for an object to provide a tucking guidewhich will be capable of forming a plurality of tucks simultaneously anddirecting the same to aplurality of needles whereby a series of tucksmay be formed and stitched at one time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tucking guide of theabove character, which shall be simple in construction and in which thefabric to be tucked may be quickly inserted.

Further objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will inpart be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of theinvention: Figure l is a plan view of my improved tueking guide, showingthe position of the same relative to a sewing machine. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the same, certain parts of the machine being in section. Fig. 3is a top plan view of the lower tuck forming member. Fig. 4 is asectional view through the tucking guide, showing the manner of foldingthe fabric. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 Fig. 3, lookingtoward the bent over portions of the folding guides.

The sewing machine to which my tucking guide is shown attached, is ofthe mul tiple needle type. Said machine includes a work support 1, apresser foo-t 2, which is provided with a plurality of needle holes 3,through which operate a plurality of needles carried by a needle bar 4,reciprocating in the overhanging arm 5 in the usual manner.

My improved tucking guide as herein shown, comprises upper and lowermembers. The lower member 6, is a fiat plate which is adjustably securedto the work support of the machine as herein shown by a slot andSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Serial No. 466,862.

screw connection 7. Said plate 6 is provided with a central upwardlyextending fin 8. Said fin is located substantially in the line of feedand at its forward end is provided with a laterally deflectedoverhanging folding portion 9. The fins 10, 10, are located on oppositesides of the fin 8, and are each provided with an overhanging portion12, 12, similar to the overhanging portion 9.

The fins 10, 10, are substantially parallel with the folding portion 9at the end thereof, nearest the stitching point but said fins, a shortdistance from their front ends, diverge outwardly away from each othertoward the front of the machine, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The fins 11, 11, are similar to the fins 10, 10, and are provided withlaterally deflected overhanging portions 12. The fins 11, 11, however,diverge at a greater angle relative to the central fin 8, than the fins10. Each of the folding fins above referred to, at their ends nearestthe front of the machine, substantially merge into the supporting plate6, and as you follow along said folding fins, the height of the finincreases until the portion of the fin is reached where it is bentlaterally to form the overhanging folding portion.

The upper member 13 of my improved tucking guide, comprises a supportingbracket 14, which is secured to the head of the machine by suitablescrews 15. Pivoted to the bracket 14 is an arm 16, which is secured tothe bracket by the pivot bolt 17. Said arm 16, carries a laterallyprojecting supporting member 18, which is secured to the arm 16, bysuitable screws 19. A second member 20 is adjustably secured to thesupporting member 18 by means of the slot and screw connection 21. Thesupporting member 20 is provided with a plurality of spaced foldingfingers 22. Said folding fingers 22, are so disposed on the support 20as to lie substantially centrally between the folding fins on the lowermember of the tucking guide. Said folding fingers are also arranged sothat they diverge toward the front of the machine in the same mannerthat the folding fins diverge. Each of the folding fingers at theirouter ends is connected so as to form a flat plate 23, which rests uponthe material before the same passes on to the folding fins.

The inner edge of the plate 23, between each of the guiding fingers 22is curved, so as to allow the fabric as soon as it passes underneath thefiat plate 23, to slide freely up on to the folding fin and thus startthe folding of a tuck.

As the fabric passes over the folding fins and underneath the guidingfingers, the tucks will be gradually developed by reason of the factthat the guiding fingers approach each other, giving up fabric to theformation of the tuck and by reason of the fact that the guiding finsincreasing in height, take up the slack in the fabric which is given upby the folding fingers at its forward end the guiding fin turns over thetuck which has been formed, and allows the same to pass properlyunderneath the presser foot 2, so that each of the folded tucks may bestitched and secured.

The position of the fabric in the tucking guide is clearly illustratedin Fig. 4. The forward end of each of the folding fingers 22 tapersdownward so that said fingers may extend underneath the laterallydeflected portion of the folding fin and thus hold the tuck in itsproper folded position, until the same passes underneath the presserfoot.

The arm 16 which carries the upper member of the tucking guide is heldin its various adjusted positions, by means of a friction washer 24. Theouter end of the arm 16 when the upper member of the tucking guide islowered on to the fabric, engages a stop screw 25, carried by a lug 26formed on the head of the machine. By adjusting said stop screw, theposition of the upper tuck forming member, relative to the work supportmay be varied. A spring latch 27 serves to hold the arm 16 against thestop screw and locks the upper member of the tucking guide on thefabric.

In the operation of my device, the latch 27 is released and the uppermember of the tuck forming guide is raised. lhe fabric is then placed onthe lower tuck forming member and the upper tuck forming member throwndown on to the fabric. As the up er member is brought into place, thefabric is folded around the folding fins and may be readily pushedforward through the folder, so as to be engaged by the feed dog 28 ofthe sewing machine. As soon as the machine is started, the feed dog 28will then draw the fabric through the tucking guide and the foldin finsto ether with the fold ing fingers, will operate to form the tucks anddirect the same to the stitching mechanism. By loosening the screwconnection 21, the entire upper member may be adjusted laterallyrelative to the lower member, and to the stitch forming mechanism. Byloosening the screw connection 7, the lower member mav be also laterallyadjusted relative to the upper member, and to the stitch formingmechanism. By these adjustments, the size of the tuck being formed andstitched mav be varied to a certain degree.

It will be noted that I have provided a tuck forming member which isvery simple in construction and by which a plurality of tucks may besimultaneousl formed and stitched. The holding of the fabric out fiatbefore the same passes to the folding members, enables the operator topro erly guide the fabric so as to form the tucks in the desiredposition and also facilitates in the proper forming of the series oftucks.

In Fig. i it will be noted that the overhanging portion 12 of the fins8, 10 and 11, extends over the folding fingers 22. The folding fingers22 are however, carried by the arm 16, which is pivoted at a pointalmost directly above the overhanging portions 12, so that said foldingfingers 22 will swing in the arc of a circle, and move underneath theoverhanging portions in a direction substantially parallel to the lineof feed of the machine.

Having thus particularly described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tucking device comprising a primary series of laterally spacedtucking blades rigidly connected together at their bases, a secondaryseries of oppositely directed tucking blades interposed between andalternating with those of the primary series, and means whereby theblades of one of said series may be withdrawn in a direction lengthwisethereof from interlocking relation with the blades of the other series.

2. A tucking device comprising a primary series of laterally spacedtucking blades rigidly connected at their bases and provided withoverhanging portions at their delivery ends, a secondary series oflaterally spaced guiding blades respectively extending longitudinallybetween said tucking blades and under said overhanging portions thereof,and means whereby said guiding blades may be withdrawn longitudinallyfrom interlocking relation with said tucking blades.

3. A tucking device comprising a primary series of laterally spacedtucking blades rigidly connected together at their bases, a secondaryseries of tucking blades interposed between and alternating with thoseof the primary series, and means whereby the blades of one of saidseries may be withdrawn in a direction lengthwise thereof frominterlocking relation with the blades of the other series.

4. A tucking guide including in combina tion, upper and lower tuckforming members, said members being arranged and constructed togradually fold simultaneously a plurality of tucks and direct the sameto the stitch forming mechanism, and means connected to the front end ofsaid upper members and at the lower edges thereof for smoothing out thefabric in advance of the tuck forming members.

5. A tucking guide including in combination, upper and lower tuckforming members, said members being arranged and constructed togradually fold simultaneously a plurality of tucks and direct the sameto the stitch forming mechanism, and a plate carried by the front endsof the upper members, and flush with the lower face thereof, forengaging the upper face of the fabric in advance of the lower tuckingmembers for smoothing out the fabric.

6. A tucking guide including in combination, a lower member, foldingfins carried by said lower member over which the fabric passes. saidfolding fins having laterally projecting folding portions at theirforward ends and at their upper edges, said folding fins graduallydiverging from the folding portions toward the front of the machine, anupper member. guiding fingers carried thereby, said guiding fingersbeing located on each side of said guiding fins and extending underneaththe overhanging portion, whereby a plurality of tucks are formed anddirected to the stitch forming mechanism and means for moving the uppermember in a direction lengthwise of the fingers for positioning saidfingers underneath the laterally projecting portions of the fins.

7. A tucking guide including in combination. a lower member, tuckforming fins carried by said lower member over which the fabric passes,the forward end of said fins having laterally projecting overhangingportions at their upper edges for folding the tuck, said fins divergingfrom the overhanging portion toward the front of the machine. said finsincreasing in height from the front of the machine toward the stitchforming mechanism. an upper member. guid ing fingers carried thereby andlocated between the tuck forming fins. said guiding fingers projectingunderneath the laterally projecting portions of the guiding fins and aflat plate connecting the outer ends of said guiding fingers forsmoothing the fabric as it passes to the tucking guide.

8. A tucking guide including in combination. a lower plate, folding finscarried thereby over which the fabric passes. said folding finsconverging toward the stitching point and having laterally projectingfolding portions at their forward ends and at their upper edges. anupper member. a smoothing plate carried thereby for holding the fabricupon said lower plate, guiding fingers car ried by said upper member.and cotiperat- .ing with said folding fins to form a plurality of tucks.

9. The combination with stitch forming mechanism. of a tucking guide.including a lower member adjustable laterally relative to the stitchforming mechanism, and having a plurality of vertical tuck forming fins,an upper member cooperating with said lower member and having verticaltuck forming fins, said fins being constructed and arranged forgradually forming a plurality of tucks and means whereby said uppermember may be adjusted laterally relative to said stitch formingmechanism.

10. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of a tucking guideincluding a lower member, an upper member, cotiperating folding memberscarried by said upper and lower members for gradually forming aplurality of tucks and means for pivotally supporting said upper member,whereby the same may be moved in a direction toward and from the stitchforming mechanism and in a vertical plane parallel to the feed of themachine.

11. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of a tucking guide,including a lower member, an upper member, cooperating folding memberscarried by said upper and lower members for gradually forming aplurality of tucks and means for pivotally supporting said upper memberwhereby the same may be 1IlO"Q(,l in a direction toward and from thestitch forming mechanism, and in a vertical plane parallel to the lineof feed of the machine for the insertion of the fabric, an adjustablestop for limiting the downward movement of said upper member and meansfor holding said upper member in its lowered position.

12. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of a tucking guide,including a lower member, folding fins carried by said lower member overwhich the fabric passes, and having laterally projecting overhangingportions at their forward ends and at their upper edges, an uppermember, folding fingers adapted to engage the fabric underneath saidoverhanging portions of the folding fins. means for pivotally supportingsaid upper member whereby said folding fingers may be movedlongitudimilly underneath the overhanging portions.

A tucking guide including in combination, upper and lower tuck-formingmem' bers for forming simultaneously a plurality of tucks, means forpivotally supporting said upper member, whereby the same may be moved ina direction substantially parallel with a central plane lengthwise ofthe tuckforming members, said means including an arm. a bracket to whichsaid arm is pivoted, and a friction washer for holding said arm in itsvarious adjusted positions.

14. A tucking guide including in combination. upper and lowertuck-forming members for forming simultaneously a plurality of tucks,means for pivotally supporting said upper member, whereby the same maybe moved in a direction substantially parallel with a central planelengthwise of the tuck-forming members, said means including an arm, abracket to which said arm is pivoted, a friction washer for holding saidarm in its various adjusted positions, an adjustable stop for limitingthe downward movement of the upper member, and a spring latch forholding said upper member on the fabric.

15. A tuck guide including in combination a lower member, tuck formingfins carried by said lower member, the forward ends of said fins havinglaterally projecting overhanging portions at their upper edges forfolding the tucks, an upper member having guiding fingers cooperatingwith said tuck forming fins and means for supporting said upper memberso that the same may be swung in a direction substantially parallel withthe line of feed for carrying said guiding fingers under the overhangingportions of said fins.

16. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of a tucking guideincluding a lower member, an upper member, cooperating folding memberscarried by said upper and lower members for gradually forming aplurality of tucks and means for pivotally supporting said upper member,whereby the same may be moved away from the lower member for theinsertion of the fabric, said upper member being adjustably attached toits supporting means, whereby the same may be adjusted laterally.

17. The combination of stitch forming mechanism, of a tucking guideincluding a lower member, a folding fin carried by said lower member,and having a laterally projecting overhanging member, a folding fingeradapted to engage the fabric underneath the overhan ing portion of thefolding fin, and means for pivotally supporting said upper member,whereby said folding finger may be moved in a longitudinal directionunderneath the overhanging portion.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LANSING ()NDERDONK.

\Vitnesses:

Boron, R. S. OswALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

